Railway frog



4 ATTORNEY.

B w 6 3 a a A. L. VISSAT.

RAILWAY FROG Filed March 26, 1927 Jan. 1,:1929.

Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED s r. ATE'S ATEN i ANTHONY-L. 'VISSAT} OF JEANNETTE BOROUGH, S Y-IJVANIA.

RAILWAY ER'OG.

Application'filedMarch 26, 1927. Seriaf'No.1"78j579'.

More particul'a rl'y my present invention relates to that type'of railway frogs Wl'ierein the interruptions in the fixed'r'ailsare completed by means or rail portionsvcarried by a movable frog plate Which is shifted in unison with the switch.

Among the ohjects which 'I have in view arethe following:

'The iniproveinent of the design and construction ofthe frog"toincrease-its strength, durahil'ityfand efficiency 1 in operation.

The provision UfiHiIPIOV'Gtl lllttll'SWhQTQbY the bed il'at-e' ofthe' frog tin'e lli'ity lbe spiked totheties and ern'hedd l-in the' ballast and whereby the movable frog plate may he installed: in place on the beclfplate and dis inounted therefrom Without disturbing the bed plate or removing the ballastin which it is embedded. I p I The arrangement of the connections by which the 'ni'ovabl'e lro'g plate is shifted whereby no portion of said connection islocated under orextencls beneath the bed plate or interferes with the permanency of the ballast.

The prevention of torsional or lateral movement of the rail. portions-oi the movahle frog plate under passing traffic.

The prevention of the" movable frog; plate i'r'oni'jumping or otherwise becoming accidentally disengaged from or displaced relativetothe bed plate.

The provisionoi' means for. guiding the movable frog; .plate in its shifting inove- 1nents,'thi .s insirrin'g proper and complete registration of its'r'a-il portions with the stationary rail portions.

The construction of the rail portions: so that there is no jarring' as the Wheels pass over the rail joints orhannnering or the ends of the rails or rail portions.

The provision of improvedineanslfor preventing the entrance of foreignmaterial or Water to the sliding connections between the bedjplateand the mo" able frog plate.

Other novel features of construetion, and also of arrangement ofpartspwili appear from the followingdescription. v

The improved frog plate structure Whose principles are hereinafter described provides new and improved insane for the accomplishment of the ohjiectsa'hove set 'iorth.

'and Fig. r

plate as the surfaces in sl id "In the accompanying drawings, wherein l'have illu'strated the host embodiment 0 1? the principles of my present invention now known" to nieyFigl a planview of the railway frog, the movable frog plate being positioned to complete the fixed rails of the tangent track, and the cover "plates being omitted; Fig. 2' is-a longitudinal section along the line II-=11 in Fig. 1 ig. 3 is a section alongthe'line IIL HI- in Fi'g.'-1'; 4 is "a plan View of the bed plate with the-as'sooifated parts removed yF-ig x 5 is-a.plan-viewwvith the movable frog" plate dismounted from the bed plate an'd' also showing the shifting connections and the cover plate *Figi (i -is aseetiona'l detail taken-along thelinev VIiI'1-*Fig, 5,

"is ain'inverted perspectiveotone of thecover plates. 'Fig. '8 isa detail in :seetion onlineVllIL-VIIIi-n Fig.1.

Referring to the drawings their-0g structurein' general eoinprises four" main elements,

and hi-ohazre hereinafter referred to as selection of materials faeilitates the *111OV6- merits or the movahle i log' pl itteeon-itl'i'e"bed ifng contaetai'e of' clilferent material.

The frog structure is supportedon the rec-tly supported by the cross ties 5-, 5 2- 5 vers'eiydisposed rows for a qani'po'se tmhe hereinafter described. 7 I

Oneend of 7 the bed plate 1, the

ft end thereof in Fig'sSI an'ol et; is prm' 'i'dmilwith an extension. 7 of na rrowervvidtlr than the body or the bed plateand having a-fsqua re'd outer end. The end casting '2- is undereut adfiacent to its inner enid so as to overlap 1 inwardly over theex-t ens'ien 7, and-sa d casting is proagainst the squared end of said extension 7. The end casting 2 is secured to the extension 7 of the bed plate by means of bolts 9 which extend through vertically disposed holes in the two parts. The lower surface of the under portion of the end casting 2 is also provided with one or more, preferably two, squared lugs 10 which snugly fit into socket holes 11 in the extension 7, thus relieving the bolts 9 of undue strain and torque and also facilitating the proper assemblage of the end casting with the bed plate.

Likewise the other end of the supporting plate is provided with a similar but preferably shorter extension 7 and the end casting is undercut to overlap said extension 7 and is secured to said extension by the bolts 12 and also by means of its bottom lug 13 fitting snugly into the socket hole 1% of the extension 7. The under side of the end casting 3 is provided with a vertical shoulder 15 which fits against the squared outer end of the extension 7 The end cast-ing 2 is spiked to the ties 5 and 5 while the end casting 3 is spiked to the tie 5 The heads of the bolts 9 and 12 are spaced between the ties.

16 and 17 represent'the parallel rails of the tangent track, while 18 and 19 represent the parallel rails of the intersecting track, the rails 17 and 18 being gapped or interrupted to allow for the frog structure.

Formed integrally on the end cast-ing 2 are the two rail members 20 and 21 which are alined with the adjacent ends of the track rails 17 and 18 respectively and are in angular relation with each other, preferably merging in a V with a squared apex. The rail members 20 and 21 stop short of the outer end of the end casting'2 and the sides of the casting are contoured so that the inner sides of the rail ends 17 and 18 will lit snugly up against the casting with their extremities abutting against and registering with the extremities of the rail members 20 and 21 The outer side surfaces of the rail members 20 and 21 are contoured similarly to the sides of a track rail, so that the standard angle bars 22 may overlap the rail joints on the outside and the bolts 22, extending through the angle bars and transversely through the 'asting may be employed to hold the angles and the rails rigidly in position, thus securing the rails 18 and 17 in fixed alincment with the rail members 20 and 21 of the end casting 2. Similarly the casting 3 is integrally provided with the rail members 23 and 24 which are alined respectively with the adjacent extremities of the track rails 17 and 18. The inner ends of the rail members 23 and 24: are also alined respectively with the rail members 20 and 21, but the rail members 23 and 2 1- preferably do not merge with each other at their inner ends, to allow clearance for the travel of the flanged wheels along the rail member 23. The outerends of the rail members 23 and 2% stop short of the outer end of the casting 3 and the end portions of the rails 17 and 18 fit snugly against the sides of the casting 3 and abut against and register with the ex-t tremities of the rail portions 28 and 2 1, angle bars 25 overlapping the joints on the outside and being secured in place by the bolts 26 extending through the casting 8.

he movable frog plate 4 is provided with two rail members 27 and 28 in angular relation to each other and so disposed that when the frog plate is shifted into the position shown in Fig. 1, the rail member 27 fills the gap between the adjacent end of the rail members 20 and 23 and thus completes the track rail 17 and when the movable frog plate t is shifted into its other position, the rail member 28 fills the gap between the rail members 21 and 2t and thus completes the track rail 17. The bed plate is provided with a pair of parallel and transversely disposed] slotted openings 29 located closely adjacent-to the inner ends of the extensions 7 and 7. 30 represent lugs integral with the movable frog plate 4 and depending from the bottom surface of the same and slidably fitting the slotted openings 29. Thus the lugs 30 guide the movable frog plate in its sliding movements relative to the bed plate 1 while pre- 9 venting movements of the said frog plate l0ngitudinally of said bed plate. The slots are of proper length so that when the movable frog plate is in the position shown in Fig. 1, to complete the track rail 17 the lugs 30 abut against the ends of the slots 29 which are uppermost in Fig. 4, and when the movable frog plate is shifted into its other position to complete the track rail 18 the lugs 30 bear against the ends of the slotted openings 29 which are lowermost in Fig. 4. It is thus evident that V the slotted openings and the lugs, being adjacent to the ends of the movable frog plate, prevent the torsional or twisting movement of the frog plate under moving traffic which might impair the proper registration of the rail portions. The lugs 30 do not protrude below the under surface of the bed plate so that the shifting of the movable frog plate 4t does not interfere with the ballast nor is it interfered with by the latter. The vertical corners of the lugs 30 are rounded or beveled to facilitate the sliding of the lugs in the slotted opening and to strengthen the lugs.

T he movable frog plate is held in fiat sliding contact with the bed plate, thus preventing the movable frog plate from jumping upwardly under moving. traffic. Thus I bevel downwardly the ends of the movable frog plate, as at 31, and undercut the inner ends of the end castings 2 and 3, as at 82, to fit with said beveled portions of the movable frog plate. Thus while the movable frog plate is free to slide transversely of the bed plate it is held down in flat contact with the bed plate.

llllll The under surface of. the movable frog plate 4' is recessed transversely as at 38 to provide clezi'ran'ce for the heads offth'e'spikes 6 which'have been driven through-the spike holes 6 intoftheties. The mouiiting oft-lie movable frog plate is thus prevente'dnfrom interfering with the convenient attachment of the bed plate to the ties, and the width of saidbed plate may be materially lessfthan would be'required were its spike holes placed outside of the path of movement of themovable frogplate. The recessing of the under surface of the movable 'frogplate also reduces the areas of themovable'frog'plate and the bed plate- Which are in sliding contact and thus aids in minimizing the friction.

At either side of the movable frog plate 4 and opposite the lugs 30, the said plate isprovided with an outwardly extending pierced ear 34 and to the ears 34 on one side of the said movable frog plate {l are pivotally secured, as by the bolts 35,the forked ends of the coni'iecting rods 36 by means of which the frog plate is operatively connected to the switch-operating mechanism so that the frog plate will be moved. properly in unison with the movable switcl'i-rail; The bottom surfaces of theforked ends of the 'rods36 do not extend below the bottom of the frog plate so as not to interfere with the-movements of the latter relative to the be'dplate' nor to drag on the bed plate. The top surfaces of said forks 'do not extend above'the top surface of the frog plate, soas to clearthe wheel flanges. lhe-movable frog plate is provided with cars 84 on either side so as to bead'apted' for either right orleft hand connection 'asthe switch may require.

To. prevent the entrance offoreign matter, such as dirt or cinders, or of water intothe slotted openin 29 or between the metal surfaces insliding contact, I provide covering means, such as the cover plates 37wl1ich'may be of heavy gauge sheet metal or the like and which are held in place by the'bolts 35 which connect the rods 36 to the ears For this purpose of connection said cover plate is provided with the bolt holes 38 for the bolts 35. Said cover is also providedwith a de pending front flange 39 which extends clownwardly between the forks andwith depending end flanges 40 which close in the space between the outer side surfaces of the forks and ears.

At the other side of the movable frog plate, that not connected up with the operative rods 36, the cover plate is bolted to the ears 34%.

The ends of the rail portions 20 and 21, 27 and 2S, and 23 and 24, which are arranged for registration, are rounded off slightly, as shown in the drawings, thus preventing the hammering of the ends of the rail portions as the wheels pass over the same, thereby reducing the'j arring and also prolonging the life'of therailportionsz It} is evident that the movable frog plate may be installed or removed for replacement without disturbing the bed plate from its position in the trackand without disturbing the oallast. "l his greatlyfacilitates tlre'installatienand repair of the frog structure.

As there are no openings, recesses nor mo vin'g" p arts beneath the bed. plate, there is no interference with-operation on account of water or ice;

What I desire to' claim is '1. A; movable frog-for railway tracks com.- prisinga bed plate mounted-at the rail crossing, an end member detachably connected to either end of'sa'idbed plate, saidend members having rail portions al ined with the fixed track rails, and a movable frog plate slidable transversely of said' bed plate: and; provided with rail portions which are arranged by the movements of said t-rog plateto complete the gaps between therail niembers of said end members, said end members and said: i frog plate having interengaging portions which maitain the frog plate inflat; sliding contact wi "h the bed plate. v a

2. Aniovable frog for railway tracks comprising a bed plate mounted at the rail crossing, an end member detachably connected to either end of said bed plate, said endmemb'ers having rail portions alined With thefi'xed track rails,=and' a movable frogplate slidable transversely of said bed plate and provided with ra-il portions 'whi ch are arran god by the movements of said f-ro'g plate to completethe gaps"betwee11- t lie rail members of said end members, said 'QDQLIIICITIbSI S having portions overlapping the ends of said frog plate to maintain the latter in flat-sliding contact with the bed plate.

A movable frog for railway tracks cmnprising abed plate mounted at the rail crossing, an end member detachably connected to either end of said bed plate, said' end members having rail portions alinedwith the fixed track rails, and a movable frog plate slidable transversely of said bed plate and provided with rail portions which are ar-' ranged by t-l' emovements ofsaid frog plate to complete the gaps between therai-l members of said end members, the ends of said frog plate being downwardly beveledto fit in slidin cont-act with undercut portions of said end members whereby the frog plate is held in flat sliding contact with the bed plate.

l. A movable frog for railway tracks comprising a bed plate mountedat the rail crossing, said bed plate being providedwith transversely disposed slotted openings, a movable frog plate having rail portions and mounted on said bed plate and provided with depending lugs having a sliding lit in said slots, an end member detachably connected to each end of said bed plate and provided with rail portions in registration with the fixed track rails, the rail portions of said frog plate being brought into registration with the rail portions of said end members by the movements of said frog plate, and interengaging portions of said end members and said frog plate whereby the latter is held in fiat sliding contact with the bed plate.

5. A movable frog for railway tracks comprising a bed plate mounted at the rail crossing, said bed plate being provided with transversely disposed slotted openings, a movable frog plate having rail portions and mounted on said bed plate and provided with depending lugs having a sliding fit in said slots, an end member detachably connected to each end of said bed plate and provided with rail portions in registration with the fixed track rails, the rail portions of said frog plate being brought into registration with the rail portions of said end members by the movements of said "frog plate, and interengaging portions of said end members and said frog plate whereby the latter is held in fiat sliding contact with the bed plate, the sliding movements of said bed plate being limited by the contact of said lugs with the ends of said slotted openings.

6. A movable frog for railway tracks comprising a bed plate mounted at the rail cross ing, said bed plate being provided with transversely disposed slotted openings, a movable frog plate having rail portions and mounted on said bed plate and provided with depend ing lugs having a sliding fit in said slots, an

end member detachably connected to each end of said bed plate and provided with rail portions in registration with the fixed track rails, the ail portions of said frog plate being brought into registration with the rail portions of said end members by the movements oi said frog plate, and interengaging portions of said end members and said frog plate whereby the latter is held in fiat sliding contact with the bed plate, the sliding movements of said bed plate being limited by the contact of said lugs with the ends of said slotted openings, and said lugs being closely adjacent to the ends of said frog plate to prevent torsional movement oi? the latter.

7. A movable frog for railway tracks com.- prising a bed plate mounted at the rail crossing, said bed plate being provided with transversely disposed slotted openings, a movable il'rog plate having rail portions and mounted on said bed plate and provided with depending lugs having a sliding fit in said slots, an end member detachably connected to each end of said bed plate and provided with rail portions in registration with the fixed track rails, the rail portions of said frog plate 1 eing brought into registration with the rail portions of said end members by the movements of said frog plate, the lugs being so positioned relative to the slot-ted openings in the frog plate that when a lug engages the end wall of one of the slotted openings one of the rail portions of the frog plate is in registration with the corresponding rail portions of the end members.

8. A movable frog for railway tracks comprising a bed plate mounted at the rail crossing, said bed plate being provided with transversely disposed slotted openings, a movable frog plate having rail portions and mounted on said bed plate and provided with depending lugs having a sliding fit in said slots, an end member detachably connected to each end of said bed plate and provided with rail portions in registration with the fixed track rails, the rail portions of said frog plate being brought into registration with the rail portions of said end members by the movements of said frog plate, the lugs being so positioned relative to the slotted openings in the frog plate that when a lug engages the end wall of one of the slotted openings one of the rail portions of the frog plate is in registration with the corresponding rail portions of the end members.

9. In a railway frog, the combination of a bed plate spiked to the cross ties, and a movable frog plate slidably mounted on said bed plate and having rail portions which are arranged to be brought into position to complete the fixed rails of the track by the movement of the frog plate, the under surface of the frog plate being recessed transversely to provide clearance for the heads of the spikes securing the bed plate to the ties.

10. In a railway frog, the combination of a bed plate fixedly secured to the cross-ties and provided with transversely slotted openings, a frog plate slidably mounted on said bed plate and having depending lugs which have a sliding fit with said slotted openings, connections between the frog plate with the switch operating mechanism for shifting the frog plate, and transversely disposed cover plates at the sides of the frog plate and moving in unison therewith for covering said slots and said connections.

11. In a movable frog for railway tracks, the combination of a bed plate mounted at the rail crossing, a pair of stationary c-nd membets having rail portions registering with. the ends of the fixed track rails, and a movable irog plate slidably mounted on. the bed plate and provided with rail portions which are arranged to be brought into registration with the rail portions of the end members, the ends of said rail portions being laterally beveled to prevent pounding.

12. In a railway 'rog, the combination with a bed plate, and a movable frog plate slidably mounted on said bed plate and provided with rail portions which are arranged to be brought into registration with the fixed rails by the movement of said plate, the ends of the rail portions having the corners of rails by the movement of said plate, the ends their heads rounded OH to prevent pounding. oi the rail portions and of the fixed rails hav- 13. In a railway fro-g, the combination ing the corners of their heads rounded OK 10 with a bed plate, and a movable frog plate to prevent pounding. 5 slidably mounted. on said bed plate and pro- Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa, this 19th day of Vided With rail portions which are arranged March, 1927. I

to be brought into registration with the fixed ANTHONY L. VISSAT. 

